“We aim to complete the investigation by mid-January and announce the result. We have completed 70 percent of questioning,” commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said on Monday as reported by tempo.co.

The agency is set to question more experts this week, including experts on forensic ballistic and metallurgy to help assess evidence the commission found on the scene, such as bullet shells and projectiles.

Read also: Komnas HAM to verify, compare autopsy of six slain FPI members as probe continues

The ballistics test would show where the guns and projectiles came from to determine whose guns were used in the shootings that killed six men in an alleged clash between Police and FPI members earlier this month.

Beka said that Komnas HAM had questioned more than 60 people, comprising witnesses from the Police and members of the FPI. The commission is also currently assessing the CCTV footages from the scene of the alleged altercation provided by the state-owned toll road operator PT Jasa Marga.

“It is a big task for us to connect all the dots. We also need to question more experts, not only from the forensic [part] but also the construction of the incidents to help analyze our [finding],” he said adding that the commission had not yet drawn any conclusion regarding the investigation and urged residents to be cautious of possible fake news spread online.  

Meanwhile, the general crimes director at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim), Brig. Gen. Andi Rian Djajadi, said the police were still investigating the shooting of six FPI members.

“The investigators remain professional, objective and open to any inputs [on the investigation],” Rian said on Monday as quoted by tempo.co.

He said the police had so far questioned 82 witnesses of the events. However, investigators had not been able to question the families of the deceased six men, as they refused to be questioned by the police.

The families’ refusal was not a problem, as it was their right to do so according to Article 168 of the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP), Rian went on.

Read also: Protesters demand investigation into police killing of FPI members

Meanwhile, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD said the government would not establish a fact-finding team to investigate the incident.

“We will settle the deaths. We will also resolve the case should [the investigation reveal] any human rights violation by the police. But we will not form a fact-finding team on the matter,” he said on Monday.

He encouraged Komnas HAM to put up its best effort to investigate the case, as, according to Law No. 26/2000 on Human Rights Courts, the agency was responsible for investigating cases of human rights violation.

Mahfud said he had met with commissioners of Komnas HAM and expressed his support for the investigation while stressing the government would not interfere.

He also said the government would follow up on the results found by Komnas HAM in the investigation. (ami)